The Baby Has No Strength to Hide! - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 27
Yes, that was it!
Norman cried out at the sight of the Paper Empire, his voice damp with excitement. Sure enough, a flag made of paper was fluttering from the highest point among the spires. Ailyen lifted her head.
“Wow, how on earth do we get up there?”
Ailyen reached out her hand, but it was nowhere near. While she stood pondering before the paper spire, Didi, who had been looking around, suddenly cried out, “Chirp!”
There were a few worms drawn on the edge of the book.
“Hmm. What are they saying?”
[It says to pull the rope.]
“I see.”
The moment she pulled the rope beside the spire, there came a click, and the castle gate opened. Ailyen’s eyes grew as wide as a lantern.
Inside the castle, a spiral staircase stretched out in abundance. Ailyen and her friends immediately began to climb.
“Ugh, it’s so far.”
Ailyen puffed out her lip. Though she had climbed all the stairs, the flag was still at a distance. Even when she stretched out her hand and flailed, all she grasped was air.
That was when it happened.
“Meow.”
This time, Kiki discovered a small pouch hidden in the landing and tugged at the hem of Ailyen’s skirt. Ailyen walked over and peered inside, and there was a small envelope wedged in it.
“What does this one say? Colored Paper?”
[It says “Emergency repair materials.” It appears to be a bridge component that the reader assembles themselves. If you fold inward along the dotted line, then fold outward, the bridge should take shape.]
“Paper Folding!”
Ailyen plopped down where she stood and began folding along the dotted lines. Her small fingers wriggled as she worked. With each press and crease along the dotted line, the flat paper gradually took on a three-dimensional form. A similar pattern appeared on Ailyen’s brow.
“So cool!”
With a satisfied sigh, Ailyen fitted the end of the paper into the groove. In an instant, an elegant arched cloud bridge was complete.
Though it was a little, ever so slightly crooked, it looked far better than expected!
“All right, let’s go.”
Now all that remained was to cross this narrow, swaying Paper Bridge and claim the flag. Ailyen set her face in grim determination and carefully placed one foot onto the bridge.
Crackle.
The paper gave a soft crunch beneath her weight, but the bridge held firm.
“Here we go!”
Ailyen began waddling across the Paper Bridge.
How far had she gone?
As Ailyen cautiously crossed the paper bridge, someone blocked her path. The floor in the middle of the bridge suddenly bounced up with a “pop,” and a knight folded from paper appeared in a flash.
From helm to sword, the knight was made entirely of stiff paper.
“Stop!”
The Paper Knight leveled his paper sword and declared solemnly.
“What is this one supposed to be….”
Ailyen, who had been stepping forward cautiously, exhaled a long sigh. The Rubentaine Grand Duchy really was packed with nothing but strange folks.
“This is a sacred tower! To pass, you must defeat me!”
“You’re made of paper—you’d fall apart the moment you got wet.”
But there was no water atop the paper spire. If there were, then she’d have to fight this paper creature. Yet Ailyen felt no desire to fight. The strong do not battle the weak, just as they do not battle paper.
But the knight showed no sign of backing down.
What was she to do?
Ailyen stood in thought, arms crossed, until something seemed to occur to her. “Ah!” she exclaimed.
“Rock-Paper-Scissors!”
“What?”
“Let’s play Rock-Paper-Scissors!”
Rock-Paper-Scissors was a game Merlin had taught Ailyen. She had used it often when Ailyen was being difficult or not listening, and now it suddenly came to mind.
“What is that?”
Fortunately, the Paper Knight seemed intrigued.
“It’s a kind of duel….”
Ailyen began explaining the rules of Rock-Paper-Scissors in a grave voice.
“It’s like this. Can you do it? If you don’t understand, you don’t have to.”
“I can do it!”
As if Ailyen’s consideration was pointless, the Paper Knight cried out. Ailyen and the knight shouted “Rock-Paper-Scissors!” in unison and each held out their hand.
The knight thrust out a fist, while Ailyen held out scissors.
“I won!”
“No.”
Ailyen’s face broke into a triumphant smile.
“Since you’re made of paper, I can cut you up with my scissors.”
“What?”
Ailyen held up her index and middle fingers in a scissors gesture. The move looked so underhanded that Didi gasped in alarm.
“My goodness.”
[That’s not wrong at all!]
Norman, who had been watching the situation with bated breath, cried out in excitement. At that, the Paper Knight dropped to his knees with a soft crumple.
Kiki simply licked his paw with an expression that said ‘These people and their games…….’
“That’s enough. Now get out of the way!”
Ailyen made her demand briskly, and the Paper Knight exhaled a deep sigh. Being made of paper, it came with a gentle rustling sound.
“A delightful child, truly.”
The soldier laughed helplessly and stepped aside of his own accord. Or more precisely, he folded himself flat and pressed against the floor. The soldier himself had become a fine carpet.
“Thank you!”
Ailyen trod across the flattened soldier as gently as possible, then bounded cheerfully onto the tower’s balcony. There, at last, was a glittering flag. The child stretched out her hand and snatched the Golden Carrot Piece hanging from the flag’s end. At that moment, the Ruby Necklace around her neck hummed and resonated.
“Not again.”
When she pulled the Ruby Necklace out from under her clothes, the Heart Wand sprang forth. The Heart Wand glowed brightly once more, then swallowed the Golden Carrot Piece whole.
“Huh?”
[Why are you doing this?]
“You ate Riri’s piece!”
Just as she was about to seriously protest to the Heart Wand—
“Ehhh?”
Whoooosh.
The enormous Paper Empire began to collapse in an instant. The walls, the tower, the bridges, the soldiers……. Thousands and tens of thousands of paper components all surged skyward at once.
It was as though a white blizzard had erupted inside the Library. The swirling papers scattered glimmering dust as they danced through the air, then spiraled back into the Glory of the Empire, drawing inward in a whirlwind.
That was when it happened. Within the swirling paper storm, the Paper Knight who had lost to Ailyen resisted being pulled into the book, bracing himself against the current. Barely maintaining his fluttering form, he lifted his head toward Ailyen.
“Remember this!”
“What?”
“That in the Empire’s most radiant hour, the Boundary Between Good and Evil was blurred!”
“Can you say it in a way Riri can understand……?”
The soldier chuckled, then raised his crisp paper hand to his chest and saluted formally. His body was being pulled steadily toward the book’s gravity.
“If knights have something they must protect, then it matters not who the enemy is.”
“Isn’t that just being foolish?”
“Haha! Indeed it is!”
With that final cheerful laugh, the soldier turned to dust in a brilliant light and was swept into the book.
Snap!
The moment the last sheet of paper vanished into the book, the thick leather cover closed of its own accord. The enormous magical tome had returned to its modest, worn appearance as an old manuscript.
Kiki and Didi approached Ailyen, who stood staring blankly at the book. Kiki licked her shin with a rough tongue, while Didi climbed onto her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek tightly.
“Pretty paper snow, wasn’t it?”
Paper scraps adorned her hair like medals as Ailyen smiled faintly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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